Parents want the gov’t to reconsider merging schools that did not meet the JSS criteria.

Today, the first group of Grade 7 pupils is anticipated to report to their respective Primary Schools to begin their Junior Secondary education.

However, due to the Ministry of Education’s decision to merge schools that did not match the requirements for hosting junior secondary schools, some pupils who were unable to remain in their primary schools will now need to transfer to new institutions.

Some grade 7 parents are now finding this to be a pain in the neck because some of their kids have been transferred to schools that are more than two kilometers away, making it impossible for them to get to the junior secondary schools.

A section of parents in Elgeyo Marakwet County disagree with the ministry of education’s decision.

“When we learned that Seret Primary won’t be hosting JSS, we were surprised. Why? Despite having fulfilled many requirements, we are instructed to transport students to Chamnada, which is 7 kilometers distant. Additionally, the route is impassable when it rains, according to one worried parent.

The parents are now requesting intervention from the local authorities and the ministry of education.

Another parent adds, “We do not want the current arrangements, thus on Monday our youngsters will not report to school.”

While those in feeder schools continue to demonstrate, other parents struggle just as much to get their kids ready for school.

Many institutions, particularly public ones, have not yet decided on the uniforms that JSS students will wear, further impeding preparations and exposing parents to what they claim are predatory commercial practices in schools.

“Even though the cost of the uniforms is exorbitant, we are told to purchase them at school. We must also pay admission fees, Rose Ananda adds.

The parents are also complaining about the small window of time they were given to prepare for the JSS’s opening.

The increased curriculum, which sees the number of courses given at JSS increase to fourteen, requires parents to continue furnish their children with exercise books even though the ministry of education has promised to send textbooks to all public schools.

Additionally, the ministry granted money for public school tuition and gave schools the go-ahead to impose no additional charges on students attending those institutions.

Parents who claim that this is not being followed, however, are now requesting that the same government make sure that its own regulations are maintained.